Marketing can be expensive. As a start-up or small business, you will need to consider what the best method is for your business. Budgeting is one of the biggest hurdles to jump – but that doesn’t mean you have to miss out on a successful marketing strategy.
Of course, some marketing methods are more expensive than others, but for many, you can still see great results whilst on a budget. Specialists in perfect bound brochure printing Where The Trade Buys, explains how you can produce brochures that are still beautiful and an effective marketing strategy for your company on a budget.
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The design stage
In the early stages of your design process, there are a few tips to keep in mind to ensure you keep your costs down but still achieve a professional finish that was worth your investment.
1. Quality
Even on a budget, quality matters – you’ll want your brochures to look professional. This can be achieved through a number of factors. The size of your brochure and the way it is finished can influence the way it is received, and of course the cost. Whilst it is tempting to cram as much information onto fewer pages to save money, you don’t want to make your brochure look unprofessional.
The paper stock will also influence the finished quality of your brochure – whilst also affecting the cost. Most business would use the highest paper stock they can afford, but you should consider your audience and the purpose of the brochure before making a decision. For an informal brochure, a thinner and cheaper paper stock is the better option – but if you are targeting a high-end corporate conference, you’ll want to invest a bit more money in a better paper stock.
Finishing your brochure to a high quality depends on its intended purpose and audience. The Scodix finish is available for companies who want to make their publication stand out and generally has a minimal difference to the cost. Case bound can be quite expensive, but is the crème-de-la-crème when it comes to top quality. If you have the budget to pull out all of the stops, then case bound is the option to go for. However, PUR is a high-end binding option that is more affordable than Case bound – this finish is ideal for pitch documents and coffee table brochures. Saddle stitched brochures are a sleek way to present your corporate brochure or catalogue to your audience, as they are generally finished with a gloss or silk lamination.
You can save a lot of time and money by ensuring your brochure is accurate first time round. You don’t want to waste money on unnecessary reprinting because a mistake has slipped through the net. Make sure all design and text have gone through thorough quality checks for spelling mistakes, grammatical errors and just general mishaps. Check, check and check again that everything is correct.
2. Need-to-know information
When filling your brochure with information, make sure you keep it to just need-to-know information. Less is more, and you need to make sure your main message is heard. Keep it simple – you don’t want to confuse the reader with too much information. Text should be clear and concise, including all the need-to-know information. This is good for budgeting, as you will save money on fewer pages. But remember to include your company logo, contact details and, of course, your key message – without these your marketing campaign will be a flop.
When designing an informal brochure, you can arrange your text is a quirky way for a fun and engaging brochure. The design is down to you – but remember it needs to remain clear to read and fit on the pages correctly.
3. Quantity
Before jumping the gun and ordering as many copies as you can afford, consider how many you are likely to need – the more copies you request, the less you pay per copy but don’t go wasting money on copies that are going to be sat around catching dust. It is worth checking the price guides before you place an order to consider if a long run, medium run or short run will be the most cost-effective. Quick buy pricing guides allow you to make an informed decision without contacting the printing company directly – cutting out the middle man.
Longer runs are generally most suited for handout brochures at events such as trade shows because they are more cost-effective.
4. Free platforms
Another option to consider is digital brochures – by making your brochures available online, downloadable as a PDF, in addition to printed brochures, you allow your audience to still access it without the additional costs to your business.
